A documentary exploring the societal impact the adult film known as Deep Throat had on mainstream America.

"Deep Throat" was just another X-Rated adult film when it was made in 1972. Finished in six days, for the sum of $25,000, (financed by the mob) the film to date has grossed over $600 Million dollars.

Inside Deep Throat makes a decent albeit incomplete attempt at explaining how & why it became so popular. The documentary explores the subject of pornography, and how the U.S. Government under Nixon had a problem with it.

It's interesting to note the timeliness of this documentary in light of the current Bush Administrations' recent witchhunting pronouncement on an all new "war on porn"... It seems the events of 30 years ago are trying to replay themselves and makes Inside Deep Throat a must see.

Deep Throat was made by former hairdresser and acclaimed porn director Gerard Damiano and starred an actress who went by the screen name of Linda Lovelace.
In trying to cover many aspects of this time era and the events surrounding the aftermath of Deep Throat, the docu ends up glossing over and only lightly touching upon the filmmakers and Miss Lovelace receiving immunity to prosecution.

Instead, the Govt decided to go after lead actor Harry Reems and make him their scape-goat thus charging him with obscenity; which was later dismissed but impacted his life leading him into alcoholism. (Reems is now clean and sober and has been for years)Sadly, the film doesnt ask Reems at all how he feels about the Porn industry today.

Where Inside Deep Throat really succeeds is in showing the explosion upon the social scene that Deep Throat had on society for a brief period when a porno movie was shown in theaters that normally only played mainstream hollywood flicks. It's also interesting to see such stars as Jack Nicholson & Warren Beatty come out in support of Harry Reems.

Inside Deep Throat also delves into the secret world of the mobs' involvement in pornography distribution at the time... and how some folks, from Damiano and a few other old timers are even now hesitant to say too much about the underworlds' involvement with Deep Throat. (Seems only the mob walked away with all that dough)

Inside Deep Throat takes us back to a time in America when it looked like for just a moment that real sex on film was going to be merged into mainstream hollywood movies...(The docu reveals that a major hollywood studio even shot porn on its lot!)..or at the least, be shown in mainstream theaters if they were well made.

Inside Deep Throat DOES contain Lindas' infamous blowjob...sort of.. but here, I feel the documentary copped out and only presented this scene in fast cuts when they should have showed that infamous BJ in all its glory... after all... isnt THAT what Deep Throat was all about as well as partially inspiring this documentary?

The opinions expressed in this review of Inside Deep Throat from Universal are not necessarily the opinions of Adult DVD Talk. Adult DVD Talk provides a public forum for consumers to post their DVD reviews. Adult DVD Talk does not edit these reviews.